


The Fifth Noël

by Stefanyeah



Series: Mad Scientist Christmas [7]
Category: Muse (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:40:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22244224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stefanyeah/pseuds/Stefanyeah
Summary: Will Matthew's decline onto the good side continue?
Relationships: Matt Bellamy/Dom Howard
Series: Mad Scientist Christmas [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/604177
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	The Fifth Noël

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MKVulture](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MKVulture/gifts).



> Again, I’m so sorry for this delay. Life and writer’s block ganged up on me, the bitches. But I made it! Whoooo! Confettiiii!
> 
> This year’s prompts come from mkvulture: _Synthesiser(Matrixbrute from Algorithm specifically) Frost and Winter_. I hope you like. :)
> 
> Also, the Sheriff finally bought himself a name over the course of this year. ;)
> 
> Beta'd by tamarelmensdorp. :)

This year, Matthew had not just given up on pretences, but also on any attempts of plans. They would be foiled either way and he’d be forced to socialise with the townsfolk again. Worse even, the sheriff had taken to visiting them regularly now.

He chatted with Dominic and pestered Matthew with requests for more rays or improvements. And about a month before Christmas, the sheriff had also hinted at his wife Sheryl expecting an invitation for Christmas dinner.

„Snooping snivelling pests,“ Matthew grunted as he left Dominic and the sheriff in the kitchen. He should at least drag the fir tree and robins into their living room. Dominic would miss them if he didn’t.

Matthew had just managed to straighten the tree and ordered the robins to stay on the table when Dominic walked in. „You brought the tree back!“ he quipped and reached out for one of the robins. The bird jumped onto his finger and chirped softly.

Matthew walked back into the storage room to retrieve the boxes with decorations. „You’d keep nagging me until I did,“ he grunted.

Dominic just grinned at him and adjusted his four metal legs to sit on the couch. „Kale really hopes for an invitation,“ Dominic said. „It seems Sheryl is nagging him since months.“

„Christmas with the sheriff and family?“ Matthew snorted. „No way, my reputation isn’t that low yet.“

„You provide the town’s police with weaponry,“ Dominic pointed out.

„I only did so because I wanted to get rid of Yorke and save you. They keep expecting the whole mile.“

Dominic chuckled softly and Matthew heard the soft clicking of his assistant’s feet advancing on him and two arms looped around him from behind. „You know, in one year, you had a lot more success on the good guys side than you ever had on the world domination side.“

Matthew sighed. „Please, stop rubbing salt into the wound. No mad scientist turns to the good side.“

„I don’t think you’re mad, Master,“ Dominic whispered into Matthew’s ear. Matthew shivered and closed his eyes, allowing Dominic to pull him backwards. Sometimes, he wondered where his old self had disappeared to. Just two years ago, he would have snarled and cursed at Dominic for daring to suggest he’d turn to the good side. Sometimes, Matthew missed that cackling, mad scientist he used to be.

Those moments were rather short-lived, however, and this time, it was no difference when warm fingers started unbuttoning his lab coat and the shirt beneath. Matthew turned in Dominic’s arms and lifted his hands into the soft blond hair to pull Dominic into a kiss. „Should we get distracted before even the first decoration is on the tree?“

„The tree waited a whole year, it can wait another hour or two,“ Dominic quipped.

Matthew hummed and softly pushed Dominic backwards and towards the door. „How could I argue with the Master of Bedroom?“

Before they could even leave the living room however, the bell in the corridor chimed.

Dominic sighed and pouted, letting go of Matthew. „I’ll open the door.“

Matthew shook his head and buttoned up his lab coat again. „No, no,“ he said and pushed Dominic out of the living room and into the direction of their shared bedroom. „You’d just let yourself be talked into conviviality. I’ll answer the door, you go and do your blanket fort.“

Dominic grinned and nodded. He turned and hurried towards their bedroom. As always, throughout the day, pillows and blankets were scattered over the large four-poster bed. Some pillows had even fallen to the ground during the night.

Dominic picked them and threw them onto the bed, contemplating if he should even bother with creating a blanket fort. That’d be destroyed rather quickly anyway. He might as well wait until the evening for rebuilding their blanket fort.

Humming softly, Dominic walked around the bed. Maybe he should fetch the feathers. They hadn’t used any feathers for quite some while.

Thus, Dominic leant over to the bedside table and pulled the drawer open until he found the big, red feather. He settled back against some pillows at the headboard and reclined, crossing the fore pair of his legs, and waited.

„Are you really sure, you’ll be getting that Christmas dinner invite?“ officer Marianne asked as she took her jacket. „Christmas Eve is tomorrow.“

Sheriff Palakiko sighed and looked up at the officer getting ready for leaving. „I‘m afraid that Sheryl will have to make her peace with not being invited.“

It was then, that the door opened and Dominic stormed in. He was gasping for air and held his Snow Ray clutched tightly with both arms. He looked around until his eyes alighted on the sheriff.

„Kale!“ he shouted and rushed forwards, his legs almost tripping over each other. „Master is gone!“

„He just tries to escape this whole Christmas kerfuffle,“ Marianne stated.

Dominic turned his head to glower at her. „Not without me.“

She just chuckled. „Honey, you‘re a major part of the Christmas kerfuffle.“

„I‘m the only part he actually enjoys,“ Dominic pouted.

The sheriff sighed and motioned for Dominic to sit down in front of his desk. „Alright, Dom, what happened?“ The phone on Marianne‘s desk rung and her grumbling was loud enough to be understood even at Kale‘s desk as she picked up.

„After you‘ve left, we… started to decorate the Christmas tree. The doorbell rang and Matthew went to open the door. I waited. And he didn‘t return.“

„Chief! There are sightings of suspicious figures close-by!“ Marianne called over. „They also seem to be accompanied by dancing monkeys…“

Dominic squeaked while Kale sighed. „I guess we know where to look for our resident madsy then.“

„You call this winter?“ Celine Dion sighed and flicked her long hair over her shoulder. „Do temperatures even go anywhere near zero here?“

„Take a look around,“ Matthew snarled. „Ever heard of frosted palms?“ He tugged at the ropes that kept his hands behind his back. He had got negligent since the townsfolk had stopped forming mobs in front of his laboratory and opened the door without a death ray.

Monkeys were dancing around the small group that was walking along the beach and towards the next town over. Every now and then, one of them would let a water bomb fall that had been attached to shoulder belts.

„I still don’t know why we’ve been giving Yorke’s plan a chance,“ Kelly Jones grunted.

„Because you’re just as stupid,“ Matthew retorted. „Guess why I don’t bother with the Mad United Scientists Ensemble anymore.“

„And we were told you’ve been in cahoots with your local police,“ Dion stated.

„Tell me you wouldn’t utilise anything at your disposal if any of your supposed _allies_ tries to blackmail and steal from you.“ Matthew looked at one of the monkeys that bared its teeth at him and then tossed a water bomb into his direction. Matthew ducked. „How do you even control them?“

Jones sighed. Yorke calls it _MatrixBrute_. Some board with knobs and controllers that makes weird noises.“

„He calls it _music_ ,“ Dion stated and shook her head. „He’s got no sense of audio aesthetics.“

„He’s got no sense whatsoever,“ Matthew retorted. He squinted into the distance. Soft sounds were wafting over and he noticed the monkeys’ dance becoming calmer. „So what do you want with me? Join the monkey squad?“

„Tempting,“ Jones replied. „However, you’re the technical genius. We hope that you can actually figure out how to use that machine and turn this stupid monkey pack into a reliable squad.“

Matthew grunted and looked over his shoulder. He was sure Dominic would have noticed his absence by now and would be rushing straight to the sheriff. He wasn’t sure they would find them, though. On the other hand, those idiots were about to hand him control over a horde of monkeys. Matthew should be able to at least attract attention with those, if not free himself.

„You going to lose those stupid ropes if I’m to help you?“

„Dream on,“ Jones retorted.

Matthew sat on one of the barstools of the beach café that his M.U.S.E. _team mates_ had taken over. Next to him sat the tied up owner and two employees on the floor. One of the waitresses had wet hair and Matthew could see some of the colourful thin material that Yorke had used for the water bombs still stuck in her hair. Her make-up had run and had given her some kind of demented war paint.

On the other side of the counter, a board with rows of knobs and controls rested. Yorke was fussing over it, triggering a cacophony of beeps and squeaks. The monkeys jumped with each tone, chittering loudly.

„Seriously?“ Matthew sighed and shook his head. „You’re actually holding hostages? How stupid can you even be?“

Jones narrowed his eyes at Matthew. „We needed a base. This is as good as any.“

„Sure. You know what? I don‘t even want those ropes gone anymore.“ He wiggled his bound hands, trying to indicate the people on the floor. „I‘ll just sit next to them and wait for the police to arrive.“

„I‘ve told you, he‘s a spy!“ Yorke growled. „He leads them right to us!“

„If anything, you’ve called the police yourself by first taking hostages and then kidnapping me.“

„And you think your precious assistant would run to the police to rescue you?“ Yorke asked. „I bet he’s happy to be rid off you now.“

Matthew grunted and slid from the stool to sit down next to the hostages. They shuffled away from him.

Dominic wouldn’t leave him alone, would he? Matthew’s assistant cared. On the other hand, it had been Matthew, who had destroyed Dominic’s former live…

„Do you think he’d really try and enlist the police?“ Dion asked. „We completely forgot about him.“

Jones sighed and ran a hand through his hair. „We should have taken him as well, just to be sure.“ He looked at Yorke. „Send your monkeys to pick up the assistant.“

„What?“ Matthew shouted while Yorke pushed some of the controls, triggering a few beeps. „You’re not sending those idiot monkeys to _my_ laboratory.“

„Yes, we are,“ Yorke announced and Matthew could practically feel the malice in his voice. The monkeys danced past Matthew, dropping a bomb at his feet that splashed. Matthew pulled his feet back and cursed. At least he had put on his spats today, so his legs wouldn’t get wet as quickly.

Dion walked past him and opened the door to let the animals walk outside. Their chattering and chirping grew louder to high-pitched screams.

Dion frowned and looked out of the door. „Snow?“ she quipped. „So you do get proper winters here after all!“

„Snow?“ Yorke repeated. He craned his neck to look down at Matthew. „How did he find us?“

„Maybe your monkey gang was a bit too attention-grabbing,“ Matthew retorted.

The monkeys‘ screaming grew a even louder and splashes could be heard. The screeching increased even more and a few soft thuds could be heard.

Dion closed the door and leant against it, sighing. „Your monkeys threw water bombs against the snowflakes. The ground is frozen now.“

Matthew laughed. „Your plans always lacked a certain intelligence.“

Yorked growled and rushed around the counter to grab Matthew’s collar and yank him up. „You little cretin can‘t even come up with plans to take over the world,“ Yorke hissed into Matthew‘s face. „You rather fraternise with the enemy.“

„Let him go, Yorke,“ Jones said and pushed his arms between Matthew and Yorke.

Yorke let go of Matthew and both of them stumbled backwards from the pressure of Jones‘ arms. Matthew ducked and pushed himself forwards, managing to topple the MatrixBrute over with his shoulder.

It landed on the floor with a crash, sparks and parts of it scattering through the room.

Yorke screamed and pushed Jones aside to throw himself at Matthew, hands going straight for Matthew‘s throat. Matthew let himself fall backwards onto the ground and pushed his legs against Yorke‘s stomach just as the door to the kitchen burst open.

„Freeze everyone!“ Matthew heard the sheriff‘s voice booming through the room. Footsteps rushed into the room and Matthew spotted Marianne together with officers that Matthew had never seen before.

Yorked, who had stumbled backwards, was the first to be apprehended by two officers. While sheriff Palakiko and two other officers were struggling to hold Jones, Marianne rushed past them towards Dion.

Matthew noticed Dion grabbling beneath her jacket. „Stay back!“ he shouted and tried to push himself upwards. However, with his hands still fixated behind his back, he only managed to sit up before the syringe that Dion had produced, connected with Marianne‘s lower arm.

The officer frowned and took a step back, shaking her arm.

„Too bad I missed your torso,“ Dion cackled, even when more officers broke through the front door and apprehended her. „But there‘s no way to stop that poison before it spreads through your whole body.“

Dominic carefully walked into the cafe, the Snow Ray firm in is hands. He spotted Matthew and rushed forwards, pulling the scientist up and into a tight embrace. „Master!“ he shouted into Matthew‘s ear. „I‘m glad you‘re well!“

Without waiting for an answer, he had changed his hands to grip Matthew‘s head and had crashed their lips together. Matthew closed his eyes for a moment until a pained groan was heard.

„My fingers are numb,“ Marianne rasped. „I can‘t feel my lower arm at all.“ She lifted her right hand which had taken on a distinctly blue colour.

Matthew pushed away from Dominic and searched for the sheriff. „Sever that arm _now_ and get her into my lab!“ he shouted when he spotted Palakiko.

„She needs a doctor!“ one of the other officers pointed out.

„I _am_ a doctor. That arm is lost no matter which kind of doctor you call. Do you want her to lose her life as well? If we want to at least have a working replacement, we need to be quick!“

The officer shook his head. „You’re still a wanted member of M.U.S.E. We have to arrest you as well, Dr Bellamy.“

„I’m sorry, but he’s our local mad scientist,“ Palakiko said and walked over to them, reaching out to loosen the ropes around Matthew‘s wrists. „We’d very much like him back. And I very much like my officer alive.“

„Stop wasting time and obey!“ Matthew snapped and grabbed the loose rope that was sliding from his wrists. He walked over to Marianne and tied it tightly around her upper arm, hoping to stop the spread of Dion‘s poison.

Behind him, he heard Yorke hissing, „Traitor.“

A few hours later, the captured mad scientists were safely locked away, the caged monkeys were on their way to the zoos they had been kidnapped from and Marianne was awakening from the drug-induced sleep.

Matthew just tightened the last screws of the makeshift arm when he felt it moving. He straightened and wanted to lift his hand, but the arm shot up and grabbed his wrist.

Matthew winced at the pain of the tight gip and reached up with is free hand. He disconnected the main lead that steered the lower part of the construction and the fingers around his wrist went limb.

„Careful there, you don‘t want to damage it before it‘s even finished, do you?“ he asked.

Marianne blinked and slowly lifted her head. She looked down at herself, staring blankly at the bronze construction that now connected to her right shoulder.

„This does not look very pretty.“

„It‘s just for you to get used to while I work on the real replacement,“ Matthew sneered. He plugged the main lead back into its socket and stood back. „Try and move it, slowly.“

Marianne looked sideways at the artificial limb. It shot upwards rather quickly.

„That‘ll need a lot of practising,“ Matthew sighed.

„I‘d rather have my arm back…“

„She’s not happy with the replacement,“ Matthew stated and looked up at Dominic. His assistant was sitting on top of him, his front legs splayed over Matthew‘s torso. The chill metal had already warmed to the touch of Matthew‘s skin.

„Neither had I been“ Dominic replied and brushed the back of his fingers along Matthew‘s collar bones. „Marianne just lost her arm. Give her a few weeks until she realises the potential of the new arm and she’ll pester you for updates.“

Matthew groaned. „She‘ll want a Death Ray implemented.“ He frowned and looked up at the ceiling before looking back at Dominic again. „You never asked me to change anything.“

Dominic laughed and shook his head. „Took me about a year to learn how to operate those without actually thinking about each and every step. I’m not going to learn how to walk a third time.“

„I don’t know how you don’t despise me…“ Matthew whispered. He rolled his head left to avoid watching Dominic staring at him. Dominic’s feet against Matthew’s shoulders twitched.

„I tried to…“ Dominic admitted eventually. „I thought I would have to avenge my friends and family. But I… I’m not the hateful kind. It just leads to nothing. So I thought maybe I could…“ He sighed and Matthew felt a warm hand resting against his left cheek, pushing softly. He swallowed and dared to look up at Dominic again.

„You're not lost for redemption, Matthew. You're a better man than you’ve allowed yourself to become yet.“

Dominic bent down and pressed his lips softly against Matthew’s. The scientist sighed into the kiss and closed his eyes. „Fine. You’ve won. No more world domination.“

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, five years in, it suddenly occurred to me, that maybe I should address the fact that Matthew’s attempts to take over the world not only led to Dominic losing his legs, but also to the destruction of Dom’s hometown and the death of Dom’s family and friends…


End file.
